Muzaffarpur, Dec. 14: Ramu Prasad Yadav (50), a vegetable trader, was shot dead on the premises of Bazaar Samiti, the main trading hub of vegetables, foodgrain, fruits and other edible items, in town this morning.

The area falls under the jurisdiction of Ahiyapur police station. Cops suspect it to be the handiwork of extortionists.

The criminals also looted Rs 5 lakh from Ramu's shop and took away two mobile phones and other precious belongings. Deputy SP Ashish Anand said Ramu, a resident of Nanpur Bhakra village under adjoining Sitamarhi district, was a wholesale dealer of potato. His body was found early this morning when other shopkeepers noticed blood trickling out from the downed shutter of the shop and raised an alarm.

There are more than 200 wholesale outlets of fruit, fish, vegetables, fertilisers, foodgrain, onions and potatoes located on the sprawling premises of the marketing yard.

Angered over the murder of Ramu, vegetable owners downed shutters to protest the growing menace of extortionists and criminals.

According to sources, extortionists collected levy from businessmen in the market yard every month clandestinely and those unwilling to oblige were threatened of dire consequences, alleged Bhola Rai, an onion trader of Sharfuddinpur village.

The police sent the body to SKMCH for a post-mortem. "The murder is aimed at creating a fear psychosis among the businessmen and collect extortion money," said Dinesh Kumar, a fertiliser trader.

Police have lodged an FIR of loot and murder of the businessman against unidentified criminals. The cops have recovered a pistol and a knife. A truck driver, who was sleeping near the incident spot, is being quizzed.

DSP Anand said the deceased the criminals fired two bullets at his neck and an attempt was made to slit his throat. The DSP said the criminals tried to loot the money first and then he was killed.

According to other shopkeepers in the vicinity, four youths known to Ramu had sipped tea with him sitting on the floor of the shop last night. "Further investigation is in progress to nab killers," said the DSP.